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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. craft — boats
  4. cold — an illness
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — not warm
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. foot — a measure
  13. chip — for betting
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. kick — in football
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com